1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a male connector fitted into a fitting hood of a female connector, and in particular to a male connector having an elastic lock arm supported by a connector body through a supporting portion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional male connector 1 is provided with a connector body 5 fitted into a fitting hood 9 of a female connector 7 and having two terminal holding chamber 3, 3. An elastic lock arm 15 is integrally formed on the connector body 5 through two supporting portions 17, 18, and a engaging projection (engaging portion) 13 to engage the engaging opening (engaged portion) 11 is formed on the elastic lock arm 15. The engaging projection 13 is provided with an inclined face 13a on the front side in a inserting direction. A pressing portion 21 is also formed on the elastic lock arm 15.
The female connector 7 is provided with a housing 23 having two terminal holding chamber 25, 25, and with a fitting hood 9 having a rectangular engaging opening 11.
Female terminals (not shown) are held in the terminal holding chamber 3, 3 of the connector body 5 respectively. On the other hand, male terminals (not shown) are respectively held in the terminal holding chamber 25, 25 formed in the housing 23 of the female connector 7. The male terminals project inside of the fitting hood 9 of the female connector 7. The female terminals are fitted into the male terminals by fitting the male connector 1 into the female connector 7, so that the female terminals are electrically connected with the males terminals.
When the male connector 1 is inserted into the fitting hood 9 of the female connector 7 in a direction designated by an arrow X, the engaging projection 13 abuts against an opening edge 9a of the fitting hood 9 so that the lock arm 15 bends in a direction approaching the connector body 5 as shown in FIG. 2B. When the male connector 1 is inserted into the inner part of the fitting hood 9, the engaging projection 13 engages the engaging opening 11. Consequently, the elastic lock arm 15 return to former condition as shown in FIG. 2A. In this condition, the engaging projection 13 projects over a cancel line A. Thus, the male connector 1 is fitted into the fitting hood 9 of the female connector 7, so that the engaging projection 13 engages the engaging opening 11 to maintain the engaging condition.
In the case where the male connector 1 is drawn out from the fitting hood 9 in the condition that the male connector 1 is fitted into the fitting hood 9 of the female connector 7, the pressing portion 21 is pressed in a direction designates by an arrow Y. As a result, the elastic lock arm 15 is forced to be bent, so that the engaging projection 13 is drawn from the engaging opening 11 to cancel the engaging condition between the engaging projection 13 and the engaging opening 11. In this condition, the male connector 1 is drawn out from the fitting hood 9.
However, as shown in FIG. 2B, since both ends of the elastic lock arm 15 is supported by the connector body 5 through the rigid supporting portions 17, 18, a large force is required to bend the elastic lock arm 15 when pressing the pressing portion 21. For this reason, a cancelling force necessary to cancel the engaging condition between the engaging projection 13 and the engaging opening 11 is undesirably large.
In addition, there is a fear that the elastic lock arm 15 is unreasonably deformed more than the required amount by bending the elastic lock arm 15.